More Black Belt Stitching Wizard Stuff

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Well, Tuesday I finished off another round on my TWRR (one more round to go ... YAY!) and today I'm starting another one. The mail out date for both the TWRR and the Sweetheart Tree RR's is on Monday.

For my SHTRR I'm doing up two banners/bell pull type thingies. Since I was such a procrastinator I didn't really plan in advance and I didn't have enough fabric to do it all on once piece so I've got two pieces set up ready to go. Not only do I have two pieces of fabric but I didn't have enough white Jubilee to do two pieces so one is White and one is Antique white... beauty (not). As usual that's due to my lack of foresight... so is my first selection that I'm stitching up. I have "chosen" Blueberry Heart, only because its one of the few designs in my stash that I had all the threads on hand! How's that for planning. So I thin once I'm done this I'll go through my Sweetheart Tree charts and make up a nice little shopping list! I had all these great ideas... and well none of it happened.

Now to "ketchup" on those SBQ's!

Q : How many pieces have you stitched? Out of these, how many have been for you? How many have had specialty stitches or other techniques besides cross stitch?

A : Tough one to answer... I've stitched too many in the almost 10 years I've been a "hard core" stitcher! I lost count a long time ago. I've done all kinds of pieces with all types of stitches! This is one of those questions I can't pin-point an exact answer for you.

Q : When you find yourself making a lot of mistakes in various stitching projects do you find it better to muddle your way through or do you take a brief break from stitching? If you do take a break, how long do you take?

A : The best thing I think for anyone to do is to walk away, and take a brake! It really depends on how frustrated I am to gauge how long of a brake I do take. Sometimes its just a couple of hours, sometimes I'll put the project away until the next day.

Tomorrow night, there's another concert to go to! This time its Red Hot Chili Peppers with Christin and Chrisanne. Today, I bought Guns N' Roses tickets for me and Christin.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

I am SOOOOO glad to finally finish something! I think its taken me a good couple of weeks to get this band done in Jo's TWRR! I chose the top border from Teresa Wentzler's The Storyteller.

Next I have to get my Sweetheart Tree RR ready to go out... I'll hopefully get the basting done on that tomorrow. I don't have the time to stitch something on it as the mail date is Monday. As you know September has kinda been like an out-of-control car!

Saturday, September 23, 2006

I was going to type you up a nice little blog entry around 11pm Friday night, with only 3 hours sleep under my belt but my computer decided to be stubborn. So I took it as a sign and I went to bed! Probably a good idea anyhow. I tried typing this on Saturday morning but I ran out of time and saved what I've got as a draft... its now Sunday evening and finally I'm finishing this blog entry!

Needless to say on the stitching front, there has been pretty much no movement this week! I was hoping to finish up my TWRR this weekend but due to an unexpected but not unwelcome development that won't happen... unless there's some sort of miracle on Sunday. Who knows that is "the Lord's day".

Sooooo.... as of my last entry I was in Montreal on Sunday for a lovely day out with my Mum. Monday there was really nothing to talk about, and it was my only evening at home so I made sure to spend it with Todd (and actually make him dinner) and my stitching (sometimes its a tough decision which is more important!).

Tuesday was our first guild meeting for the season. Our membership person was very ill so that job fell into my lap. Boy I was one busy person! I was lucky to have Christin with me to help take over for the draw I'm normally in charge of for meetings. Also one of our brand new members who just joined that night was so kind to step in and help out with the nametag draw we're having this season. To encourage our members to wear a stitched nametag to meetings their name will be entered into a draw for each meeting they wear it to. Then there will be a really nice prize at our December pot-luck meeting, the same again at the June meeting. Christin and I got to show off our Celtic Banners which was fun.Christin was also a sweetie and gave me a little giftie for taking care of her after she had some teeth pulled the week before. She got me St. Georges by Long Dog! I look forward to be able to stitch it. On the pressie front I also got RAK'ed over a week ago by Belinda with a 25.00 gift certificate to Vickki Clayton. I haven't spent it yet I wanted to do it when I had time to look at all the wonderful slikes on her website!Wednesday is my teaching night at Taekwon-Do, I think that was my earlies evening home all week, with being home before 8pm.Thursday after work my Dad dropped my Mum off where I worked and we took off for Montreal! We had tickets to see Roger Waters, formerly of Pink Floyd that night at the Bell Center! We got there with enough time to have a rushed dinner and catch the start of the show! What an amazing show Thursday night! Roger Waters played ALL the hits! Also Dark Side of the Moon from start to finish! The show ended about 11:30pm by the time we were out of the parking lot (always a challenge after any concert!) and properly on our way it was about 12:15am. With a quick caffeine and gas stop in Hudson (have to admit we saw a lot of people wearing concert shirts!) we were home by about 2:15 am. I had a lot of trouble getting to sleep and I know I was still awake after 3am. So that's why on Friday I was surviving on less than 3 hours sleep! I had to start my work day with an XL Cafe Mocha from Timmies!Friday that was another long day... I don't know how I made it! Nor got into a car accident when I was driving around! From work I went to visit the treasurer of my guild to get some business taken care of. Then it was off to another guild member's house for a reception. We were hosting this past weekend the Atlantic, Central Canadian Regional Meeting. I went to mix and mingle with all of the delegates as I was to be the OVGS representative this year at the meeting. One of our members fell through on a billet so totally unprepared, and the house not clean I took one of the delegates home and billeted her for the weekend. She was great and really understanding. She even put up with Todd having a bunch of people over for poker and the UFC fight on pay per view last night... I can't believe I stayed up with everyone once my billet and I got home... until 1am. Then I finally packed it in since I had to take my billet to the airport this morning.After I got back from the airport to spend a little time with Todd, I took him out for breakfast nearby... then I crashed! I finally got out of bed at 4pm... but I sure could of stayed there! Once I'm done online here I'm looking forward to finally stitching for the first time since Wednesday!My gosh the mileage I've put on my car this week has been insane! I've put gas in the tank at least 5 times since last Sunday! Ouch!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Today my Mum and I went on a bit of a road trip... to Montreal! What a full day it was! We hit the road at 8am and as soon as we left Ontario and entered Quebec my Quebec born instincts kicked in! (I was born in Montreal) I tell you there's a huge difference between driving in Ontario and driving like a Quebecker! This means driving fast, sudden lane changes, and no signal lights... you see in Quebec (especially Montreal) to signal is to show you're weak! I have to say, it was fun! For many years I've avoided driving downtown, this morning we went to Mont Royal, the mountain in the middle of the city. I haven't been up there since I was a kid! It was nice to walk up the mountain, to see the panoramic views of Montreal.

After a couple of hours of walking around the mountain we hopped back in my little car and headed to the West Island. We had lunch at McBay's, a restaurant we used to go to when I was a kid. I co-ordinated things to meet up with my oldest friend Andrew. It was so nice to see him and catch up, we've not seen each other in years... its been far too long!

From there was our last stop, the Lakeshore Guild's annual needlework exhibit. This is my second year attending their show and there was once again a huge array of pieces and beautiful work! It was also nice to touch base with some of the ladies I met at the Lakeshore Guild Retreat I attended in the spring.

Its been a long day and I'm looking forward to sitting down and stitching in front of the TV tonight (The Amazing Race 10 starts up tonight!). Seeing so many pieces at the show gets my fingers itching to stitch!Thursday after work I'm heading back to Montreal again (with my Mum) to see Roger Water (formerly of Pink Floyd) in concert!

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Wow! That was awesome! Tonight I went and saw The Who with my Mum! They played a few new songs, and a lot of old songs you just love to sing along with!This concert will be followed up with Roger Waters in Montreal... doing Dark Side of the Moon from start to finish, no less! Then after that... Red Hot Chili Peppers!Its late, I should go to bed, I have to teach Taekwon-Do in the morning!

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Saturday at Taekwon-Do we and an impromptu demonstration for our open house. One of my student's father was taking pictures and I managed to get my hands on the files!Not a lot of stitching has happened this week so far, once again a busy one and I fear the whole month will be this way (I'm also trying to go to TKD more than once a week... I'd like to get my 3rd Degree someday and that's not going to happen if I stay home stitching!)! Last night I did finally choose and start my next TWRR that arrived in the mail over a week ago. For this round I'm stitching a portion of The Storyteller's Border. Of course right now its not much at all. Funny I'm anxious to get back to Noah's Sub!

Saturday, September 09, 2006

This morning Christin and I (she's a really brave girl to have dental surgery one day and be taking a basic quilting class the next!) went to the Running Stitch to take a basic quilting class. The class was strip piecing to do a 4 patch block and a 9 patch block. My Mum has taught me everything I know but it was neat to take a basic class and kinda re-learn what I've picked up from my Mum and to learn a few new tricks.

I have to say the instruction was wonderful, the shop is just lovely, and the staff very helpful and friendly! The only frustration was my old hand-me-down Kenmore sewing machine. The machine kept wanting to grab the fabric. The instructor (also the owner) was nice enough to let me try one of the Bernina machines they had in the classroom. Oh boy did I fall in love! Its too bad I don't sew enough to justify the cost. The best analogy I can give you one stitcher to another is using a really cheap, poor quality needle then switching to a piecemaker needle! Oooh I'd love to have a Bernina... anyone want to buy me one, just the base model that's all I need ;-)

Anyhow here are what I came away with from the class :

My first 4 Patch Blocks

My first 9 Patch Blocks

I think my Mummy would be proud!

After taking Christin back home to rest I was back in the car and off to help with the Open House/Demo at Taekwon-Do. Now that I'm home, I've gotten caught up on e-mails and I've blogged I'm going to pull out Noah's Sub. If I can get in a nice long stitch tonight... I should have a progress picture of Noah's Sub to share with you!

Friday, September 08, 2006

Well its been a good but long first week of school. I've survived with no battle scars. I have to say I sure am tired though! That's what happens when you go from moving at a slower pace at work during the summer to running at full tilt. Not only have I had work to contend with but also TKD, meeting up with friends, and all the usual running around. I've not stitched much this week.Tomorrow morning Christin and I are taking a basic quilting class to brush up on our sewing techniques... so we can do a great job at finishing our stitching of course!

Monday, September 04, 2006

Well I've done it, I've picked Noah's Sub back up! Not tonnes of progress today but I've finished all the sky on the current page and I've started filling in the birds.

Tomorrow's the day... the kids are back! All 1700 of them! I'm support staff in a High School, a 12 month employee so I've been working all summer. Now that the kids are back, I have to dress properly... and put the radio away.

Yay! Happy Dance! I've finished my latest piece. I guess after doing such a large piece I've been enjoying these smaller projects! Now the decision is do I ACTUALLY pick up Noah's Sub or do I go onto another small project? In case the fancy strikes me I'm currently sorting the threads for Michael Powell's Mini Cottages 4 (remember I've stitched 1-3). I do like to stitch up a Michael Powell each year, and I haven't done one yet this year!

Don't Bug Me

Knob Knocker Collection

c2006 Sweetheart Tree

Yet again, another enjoyable and quick stitch! The colours are much more vibrant than you see here! I really like the overdyed floss provided, WDW Noel... I think I might have a skien of this in my stash. This was a Sweetheart Tree kit and once again I am so impressed with their kits. It included a lovely linen to stitch on, and so much floss I probably could of stitched it twice, and plenty of beads left over too! I'll have to finish this in a manner that I can hang it in my "stitching corner" and just point to it when Todd's being a pain!Hmmm so what to stitch next....

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Gosh, I've done it again... I forgot to answer last week's SBQ! In my defense, its been a long, busy week! The week before school starts is always a crazy one, making sure everything is ready to go for the first day! Its a lot of running around, and shortened or no lunches!

So here it is :Q: What do you keep your WIPs and other stitching supplies in when traveling?

A : Even when I'm not traveling all my WIPs each have their own Zipper Mesh Bag, of varying sizes! The supplies, working copy, and everything I need goes in that bag! When I'm off to stitch at someone else's the best bag I have for carrying around my zipper mesh bags in is my lap top bag! Its a great bag for packing everything in! The only downside, I hate leaving it in my car, as it is a laptop bag and cars get broken into when it even LOOKS like there's a computer in there! So in the trunk it goes!

We were out at the cottage this weekend, we're home early, and I have no pictures for you, thanks to Ernesto which has dumped 24 hours of rain on us so far. Imagine playing Skip-Bo for 7 hours straight with the same person???? That's about all there was to do... oh yeah and stitch! I'm about 1/2 through Don't Bug Me.